Shun Kadohashi

Art Inclusion

talks without words

Unu O unu has teamed up with Japanese ceramic artist and painter Shunkda Dohashi, who led a ceramics workshop for disabled people in northern Japan.

Shun first worked in the UK with British artist Sandy Brown. Since then he has worked with a diverse range of materials. “It was a miracle and a magical time when I first met her. She introduced to me the idea of spontaneity by showing me her way of living, her way of making and her way of laughing! She was perfect and knowledgeable about it. I’ve been hugely influenced by this.”

In his studio at Kanaya Chiba, he worked together with a group of disabled people for a friendship-building ceramics workshop. He created a series of pieces and then guided the group to colour them and paint them over. “[The beauty of ceramics] is that you never know what it is like, until you open the kiln. The kiln is like a secret box, that you never know what you will get. So the firing process is quite appealing to me as well as you always feel a sense of touch in the end results of the ceramics.”

Since running the workshop, Shun Kadohashi has found the experience to be a great way to meet new friends. “Disabled people are wonderful and beautiful as we all are. Understanding their creative ability is the most important factor. If we all know more about ourselves, then I hope that everything is going well. Because in a way, all of us are connected and we all share lots. It was truly a fun, joyous and magical time.”

The creative process is highly important to Shun Kadohashi’s work and practice. “I strongly felt everyone’s own creative approach while being with them. It‘s just so nice to see many other ways to create something.”

The institute for disabled people in Japan encourages them to draw and get involved in the arts but in a very structured and restricted way. During his workshop, Shun wanted to embrace a different technique to really allow them to be free to draw whatever they wanted and however they wanted. He asked them to ignore any strict guidelines and instead listen to their inner voices and find joy in their own expression. “The most challenging thing during the workshop was to control myself and not to force them to do anything. I have to wait and wait, then something will happen.”

“We are all connected I believe. I can sense that, and it is nice to simply feel that. I like being alone sometimes and making something to feel a deep connection with others later. It‘s like throwing ball somewhere, and I know somebody will catch it. I hope that I will not forget this.”

“All the money raised through our work goes to the disabled facility that I worked with. They will use the money for their future activities and their facility.” For the future, he will be continuing his work and is open to new collaborations. “Personally, I keep creating and creating, which is my only concern… I’m really looking forward to crossing paths with new people!” He says. “I quite like the word ‘floating.’’’ It is related to the sea, the ocean, my way of living and my way of making. I like to imagine that we are all floating in the sea, our hands touching gently as we work together. This is my sense of word and feeling.”